Guten Morgen

Guten morgen, fraus, fraulines, and herrs. (Not so sure about the last one, but I'm trying. Everybody feel free to correct me.)

Happy Monday morning. Jim, I hope you're feeling better, and that your car is all fixed up so that you don't have to face mass transit in the winter any more. I remember waiting at bus stops in the cold. SOOOOO not fun. People made fun of me in Denver because when I looked for housing I deliberately picked a place near several grocery stores and both a major north/south and east/west bus route -- just in case the vehicle broke down I could still get to work and anywhere else I needed to go. But I (like most of my family) embrace dark humor and a "hope for the best, expect the worst" philosophy. A few of the family sayings...

If you can't be good, be careful. If you can't be careful, be good.

Fooled me once, shame on you. Fooled me twice, shame on me.

Sometimes either you have to laugh or you cry, and crying doesn't do any good.

Shit happens, bring a shovel.

Things can always get worse. They can always get BETTER, but they can always get worse.

There are so many more. As a philosophy of life, it actually works. Because you're laughing, and moving forward, but you're also prepared for most of the stuff that comes down the pike. Oh, not all: nobody can be prepared for everything life throws at them. But having the ability to laugh, and work hard, makes things a whole lot better.

SO, let's raise a stein of virtual beer to the hardworking folks who face life with determination and laughter.

May the best days you've ever had, be the worst you ever see.
(Old Irish blessing.)